The ABAWD Work Program is making a

comeback!

Since 2008, Massachusetts has operated under a statewide waiver of the ADAWD Work Program

requirement. On December 31, 2015, that the statewide ABAWD waiver is ending and will not be

renewed (although there are areas of the state that will be eligible for a waiver)! This means that on

January 1, 2016 up to 25,000 statewide clients may be required to fulfill the ABAWD Work

Program requirement, and time limited benefits. We are going to touch on these over the next few

‘Blurbs’.

For this ‘Blurb’, let’s take a look at the ABAWD Work Program (WP) requirement.

In order to comply with the ABAWD WP, nonexempt ABAWDs ages 18-49 must meet one of the

following conditions:

1) Work an average of 20 hours per week/80 hours per month;

2) Participate in Employment and Training activities for 20 hours per week; or

3) Volunteer at a community service site for a specified number of hours per month based on

a BEACON calculation of benefit amount and minimum wage.

‘Blurb’ 13: ABAWD Work Program

Next ‘Blurb’ we are going to discuss Time Limited Benefits.

, we are going to discuss Time Limited Benefits.

3, 36, 80

So how do Time Limited Benefits work?

All nonexempt ABAWDs are allowed to collect SNAP benefits without meeting the ABAWD Work

Program (WP) requirement for a total of 3 months within a 36 month time frame. The 3 months

of benefits available is cumulative, so clients can use their 3 months at different times throughout

the 36-month period.

To get SNAP for more than 3 months, nonexempt ABAWDs must comply with the ABAWD WP

requirement.

An ABAWD who has lost benefits due to non-participation may regain eligibility if s/he fulfills the

ABAWD WP requirement during a period of 30 consecutive days. Verification of this participation

must be submitted before the case can be restored.

‘Blurb’ 14: Time Limited Benefits

Next ‘Blurb’, we’re going to discuss exemptions to the ABAWD WP.

A quick review

Massachusetts has operated under the statewide ABAWD Waiver since 2008, so we are all a little

rusty when it comes to a SNAP Work Program and its exemptions. Let’s take a minute a to review

the ABAWD Work Program exemptions as they vary slightly from the General SNAP Work

Program (formerly known as SNAP E&T) Exemptions that we are generally more familiar with:

An ABAWD is considered exempt from the Work Program requirement if:

the person is under 18 or over 49

is a pregnant woman (any stage of pregnancy)

residing with a household member under 18 (must be in the SNAP HH, but does not have to

be eligible for SNAP)

caretaker of a child under 6 or an incapacitated person (does not have to be in the SNAP

HH)

unfit for employment due to illness or disability (temporarily or permanently)

TAFDC/EAEDC client

UC applicant / client

student at least half time (high school, training program or college)

regular participant in a drug / alcohol treatment program

employed at least 30 hours per week (averaged monthly)

client is employed less than 30 hours per week, but receives weekly wages equal to or greater

than $942.43 (averaged monthly)

resident of a waved area

‘Blurb’ 15: ABAWD WP Exemptions

Next ‘Blurb’, we’re going to discuss what happens when a client fails to comply with the

SNAP WP.

Something new in BEACON

When entering self-employment in the Earned Income window, you are going to see a new

selectable job title. The new ABAWD In-Kind job title is for use with those clients that exchange

work for goods or services. This is what DTA refers to as ‘in-kind’ work.

After an applicant / client meets the criteria for ABAWD In-Kind and has submitted acceptable

verifications of the in-kind work (and/or in-kind income if applicable), entering the information into

BEACON follows procedures very similar to other self-employment entries.

To record ABAWD In-Kind work hours, on the Earned Income page:

1. select the income Type: Self-Employment on the Employed tab

2. select the Job title: ABAWD In-Kind on the Employed tab

3. enter $0 in the Gross Income field for each applicable reporting period on the Earnings tab

4. enter the verified number of hours worked during the applicable reporting periods in the

Hours field on the Earnings tab

When it comes to acceptable verification of in-kind income, examples include - but are not limited

to a letter from the person for whom the client performs work in exchange for rent, travel

expenses, or other goods or services, describing the arrangement.

‘Blurb’ 16: In-Kind Work Hours

Next ‘Blurb’, we’re going to discuss how BEACON is going to assist in determining

ABAWD WP exemptions.

BEACON, Making ABAWD WP coding easier since

2015!

In the last few Blurbs, we touched on many aspects of the new ABAWD WP. What we are going to

discuss today is input accuracy and automation! BEACON reviews and updates the ABAWD WP

exemption and requirement statuses of each household member nightly!

So, what does mean for you? This means that BEACON is going to assist you in selecting the most

permanent and applicable exemption reason, especially if one has not yet been selected. BUT it’s only

going to work if we focus on accuracy!

BEACON is going to take the information that you’ve added to the case record (e.g. number of

work hours, a child’s birth date (for when they turn 18), anticipated end dates from the new

ABAWD Work Program Requirement Medical Report form etc.) and will seek to establish an ABAWD

WP exemption reasons with end dates!

For all of this automation to run smoothly, we need to focus on accurately entering our information

into case records. ACCURACY IS CRITICAL to ensure that the proper exemption reasons are

selected, that the proper Strike Notices are generated for the appropriate dates, and that

automated case closure functions properly! Over the next few months, it is going to be very

important that we get as many household members accurately coded as possible! Taking the time

today to make sure the cases you touch have their ABAWD WP exemption / requirement statuses

and dates accurately updated is going to save a lot of time tomorrow!

‘Blurb’ 17: BEACON and WP Exemptions

Over the next few ‘Blurbs’, we’re going to discuss each of the ABAWD WP exemption

reasons and touch on what BEACON is going to do with that information.

When to apply them and how they’re applied…

As we discussed last Blurb, BEACON is going to assist in assigning the most appropriate and

permanent exemption reasons for the ABAWD WP. Over the next few Blurbs, we’re going take a

look at those exemptions one-by-one and describe when it is appropriate to apply the exemption

and how the exemption is going to be used by BEACON.

Below are listed the first three exemptions we’re going to examine.

As an example, let’s focus on an easy one: the “Under Age 18 or age 50 or over” exemption reason.

Once we’ve established the accurate DOB for the household member, BEACON will maintain the

“Under Age 18 or age 50 or over” exemption reason until the household member turns 18 (or

exceeds age 50, unless – of course – there is more permanent exemption reason which we discuss

later on). When the household member turns 18, BEACON is going to sweep the case file in an

attempt to find another exemption reason (this is why inputting your information accurately is

critical for this process!) before assigning the mandatory participation dates.

‘Blurb’ 18: Exemptions and Automations

Over the next few ‘Blurbs’, we’re going to discuss more of the ABAWD WP exemption

reasons.

More Exemption automations…

Today, we continue discussing exemptions from the ABAWD WP and why properly identifying

them is critical to accurate case processing:

‘Blurb’ 19: Exemptions and Automations (cont.)

In the next ‘Blurbs’, we continue our discussion of ABAWD WP exemptions.

More Exemption automations…

In the last Blurb, we examined the first three exemptions from the ABAWD WP. Now, let’s look at

a few others:

‘Blurb’ 20: Exemptions and Automations (cont.)

In the next ‘Blurbs’, we continue our discussion of ABAWD WP exemptions.

Employed at least 30

hrs/wk

Client is working at least 30 hours

per week averaged monthly or the

federal minimum wage equivalent

(30x$7.25).

See the Meeting by Working section

of ABAWD Work Program

Participation.

Selectable by all users.

BEACON will assign based on the

combined total of all recorded

earned income.

Important: The Earned Income

page and any Rental Income record

must reflect the current status of

earned income attributed to the

client.

Student – at least Half-

Time Client is enrolled at least half-

time in any recognized school,

including high school, a training

program or institution of higher

education.

To be eligible for SNAP, the

client must meet the student

status requirements. See

Students.

Selectable by all users.

BEACON will assign based on

data displayed on the Education

page.

Important: The Education page

must reflect client’s school

enrollment status and future

anticipated graduation date. To

qualify for this exemption,

enrollment must be verified at

application and recertification

and when reported mid

certification.

UC Applicant / Recipient Client is an Unemployment

Compensation applicant – or is

receiving an Unemployment

Compensation benefit - subject to

and participating in a comparable

work program

Selectable by all users.

BEACON will assign based on

data displayed on the Other

Income page.

Important: The Other Income

page must reflect the current

status of Unemployment

Compensation income.

More Exemption automations…

In the last few Blurbs, we’ve covered exemptions from the ABAWD WP. Let’s continue with

that theme and examine a few others:

‘Blurb’ 21: Exemptions and Automations (cont.)

So what happens when a client chooses not to

comply with the ABAWD WP?

In previous ‘Blurbs’ we touched on the ABAWD Work Program requirement and have talked

extensively about exemptions. Now let’s take a look at what happens when a WP required client

fails to comply.

One of the changes implemented with the return of the ABAWD Work Program is BEACON-

generated warning notices called Strike Notices (First, Second, and Third Strike Notice; one for each

month of non-participation). Clients who choose not to comply will receive an appropriate

BEACON notice that identifies the specific month of non-compliance, the strike they are on, how

they can meet compliance and when their 3-year period ends.

The notices also identify how to contact DTA to report an exemption or good cause for not

complying, to obtain an E&T or community service site referral, or request an accommodation.

An ABAWD Work Program required clients who fail to comply with the requirement

for 3 months without good cause will be ineligible for SNAP for the remainder of the 36-

month period unless they prove good cause, meet the requirement, or become

exempt!

‘Blurb’ 22: ABAWD WP and Failure to Comply

Next ‘Blurb’, we’re going to discuss regaining eligibility after Strike Three.

What happens after Strike Three?

Hello again! In the last few ‘Blurbs’ we covered the basics of the ABAWD Work Program

(requirements, exemptions and sanctions). With this ‘Blurb’ we are going to discuss what a client

must do to regain eligibility after 3 months of non-compliance with the Work Program.

A client can regain eligibility – if otherwise eligible – after the client completes one of the following:

Works at a job for 80 hours during a 30-day period

Works at a community service site for a specified number of hours (DTA will determine the

number of hours by taking the client’s monthly SNAP benefit and dividing it by the state

minimum wage ($10 per hour as of January 2016)

Participates (and complies with the requirements) of a qualifying SNAP Employment and

Training program component for 80 hours during a 30-day period (see

106CMR362.320(A)(2) for more info)

Works and participates in a qualifying SNAP E&T Program component for a combined total

of 80 hours during a 30-day period

Meets an ABAWD Work Program exemption

‘Blurb’ 23: ABAWD WP Regaining Eligibility

A reminder about Community Service

When it comes to meeting the AWABD Work Requirement by volunteering in the Community

Service Program, the participating client may:

self-arrange a volunteer Community Service Program placement approved by the

Department; or

request a referral to a SNAP Community Service Program placement identified by the

Department.

A client can request approval for a self-arranged volunteer site or a referral to an approved

Community Service site by calling the SNAP Work Requirements Line at (888) 483-0255.

When we discuss volunteering as a means to meet Work Program Requirements, it is important

for us tell the client that the 888 number is for Community Service program placement

referrals ONLY. It is important that they understand that this number is neither a general

question line nor a way around the IVR telephone system!

‘Blurb’ 28: ABAWD Community Service